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The Naked Marquis (Naked Nobility)
|(|0}} | AlternateTitle = | ForeignTitle = Le Marquis mis à Nu | Author = Sally MacKenzie | SeriesAuthor = Sally MacKenzie | Author2 = | WritingAs = | Editor = | Cover = | Genre = | Genre2 = | Publisher = Zebra Books | ISBN-10 = 0821778323 | ISBN-13 = | Month = 3 | Day = | Year = 2006 | Reprinted = | RPrice = | CPrice = | DMonth = | DDay = | DYear = | iBooksReleaseDate = | KindleReleaseDate = | KoboReleasedDate = | NookReleaseDate = | SmashbooksReleaseDate = | DRPrice = | CDPrice = | Pages = | BannedDate = | UnbannedDate = | Previous = The Naked Duke (Naked Nobility) | Next = The Naked Earl (Naked Nobility) | MainProtagonist = Charles Draysmith, Marquis of Knightsdale | MainProtagonist2 = Emma Peterson | MainProtagonist3 = | MainAntagonist = }} |(|0}} is the second book in the Naked Nobility series. Book Description THE MAN IS PRACTICAL As marriage proposals go, Charles Draysmith's suit is as romantic as the moors in December. Emma Peterson might be only a vicar's daughter, and he the new Marquis of Knightsdale, and perhaps he would rather marry her than endure the marriage mart. But when he suggests how much he'll enjoy securing an heir, well, a lady can only endure so much. BUT THE LADY IS PASSIONATE There's something about a woman throwing pottery at a man that piques his interest. Perhaps his proposal lacks grace, Charles thinks. But it does seem a perfect solution. He acquires a wife; his young charges have the mother they so desperately need, and Emma gains security and position. You see? Simple. Practical. Sensib—oh no, not the ceramic dog… He will have to confess the truth to calm her down. And the truth is, he's madly in love… = (Description from SallyMacKenzie.net) Excerpt From Chapter 1: Charles bit the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. Miss Peterson’s jaw had dropped like a rock. “It’s the perfect solution, when you think of it, Miss Peterson. The girls need a mother, as you yourself have pointed out. They know you and like you--and you live nearby, so you’ll have the comfort of your own family at hand.” And I find the notion of bedding you distinctly appealing. Charles smiled, trying to imagine how Miss Peterson would react to that statement. But it was true. He hadn’t thought of her in years, yet to see her now, to have her standing just inches from him... Perhaps it was the contrast--his memories of her as a little girl with her very grown-up figure. Whatever it was, it was distinctly erotic. He shifted position, turning away from her slightly to hide his reaction. It was the perfect solution to his problem. Neither of them would be inconvenienced. It was not as if he had to spend a vast quantity of time with her. He had no desire to live at Knightsdale. He’d find something useful to do in Town and just come down from time to time to work on his responsibility to sire an heir. Yes, he’d come down to take her to bed. To strip that ugly frock off her lovely body. To bury his face in her soft, shapely breasts. To... He turned abruptly to the desk. His breeches were getting distinctly uncomfortable. “What could be better, Miss Peterson? You don’t have a beau, do you?” “Well, no, but...” “And pardon me for saying so, but you are a bit past the usual age for marriage, are you not? As I remember, you are twenty-six, four years younger than I.” “Yes...” Charles glanced at her, noting her heightened color and heaving bosom. Especially her heaving bosom. He jerked his eyes up to meet hers. Behind her spectacles, gold sparks smoldered under deeply furrowed brows. Perhaps he should not have pointed out that she was firmly on the shelf, but surely it must be a factor in her decision. It was unlikely she would have a better offer--or indeed, any other offer. “I don’t intend to be in your way, you know. I’ll spend most of my time in Town. You’ll only have to put up with my occasional visits.” “Why bother to visit at all? You’ve been able to keep yourself away all these years.” Charles coughed into his hand. Surely she saw the obvious? He looked at her again. Her arms were tightly crossed under her glorious breasts. She lifted one of her brows. How could he not have noticed before how delightfully they flew up at one end? Or how kissable her mouth was, even drawn into a tight line as it was now. Would it soften if he put his lips over it? “There is the matter of an heir.” “What?” Both eyebrows flew up and then slammed back down. “What do you mean, exactly?” The ice in her words was an interesting counterpoint to the fire in her eyes. Charles realized retreat was probably advisable, but he had gone too far into enemy territory. He had to brazen it out now. “An heir. I’ll need one, now that I am the marquis. And I can’t very well get one if I’m in London, and my wife’s in Kent, can I?” He ducked as a small china dog flew by his ear and shattered on the study door.